User Reviews

Strengths: Plug and Play - ready to go out of the box
Small & light
No extra sensors needed
Includes 2 bike mounts out of the box
Multi bike support without need to set up wheel size, etc.
Free software (both OEM and 3rd parties)
Fast boot up time

This is a great little unit from Garmin for those of us that are not interested in HR and Cadence. Super easy to use, no need to read the manual. It will Show you ride time, distance, and current speed at all time, and the last field will scroll through ascent, calories burnt and avg speed. Also a handy arrow displayed at all times telling you whether you are above or below your avg speed. Also a nice custom feature which lets you set a threshold at which to stop recording. This is handy for commuters that have a few stops at major intersections.

I have not used the lap and course features too much yet but they may come in handy to let you find your way back on new trails. I did create a couple of courses on Garmin Connect and it's very simple. Courses can also be created by riding them and then saving.

The cable that comes in a short USB cable that can plug into your computer or the included power supply. While I prefer the short cable for the computer, the cable is a little short to use with the power adapter. The cable is a standard mini usb that can be purchased just about anywhere and chances are you already have one laying around from a digital camera or some other device.

Only negative so far is inaccurate ascent data (no altimeter in the unit so it estimates based on GPS - The Edge 500 does have an altimeter in it for more accurate ascent data). When I upload rides to strava, there seems to be 15% discrepancy between their climb data and the one saved on the unit. The other minor set back is slowness to retry to find signal. If I turn on the unit in the basement (where my bikes are stored), it can't find the signal and even after being a few minutes out it may still show as "aquiring signal". A simple reboot (or wait to be outside before turning on) fixes this.

So why a 5 chili value on a $150 unit when you can get much cheaper non GPS computers? There are no extra costs. Great software (garmin connect, but also compatible with the free version of Strava) is free. 2 bike mounts in the box (most others will charge you for extra mounts/sensors). Also the ease of maintenance and use is great. I charge it every 10 hours riding or so and there is usually battery still left.

Suggestions for this line of products? Altimeter in all units and an EyeFi like wireless sync feature where plugging in the unit to the computer is not needed to sync rides. I'd pay a little more for that.

Strengths: no set up
wireless
easy to move from bike to bike
Garmin on line and Strava compatible
price

Weaknesses: documentation (but great tech support makes up for it)

Bottom Line:

Great intro product. Keeps track of everything I need. I use the course, ride, and coaching eature all the time. Used Garmin on line (MyGarmin) for tracking my workouts and it is great. I love how I can down load courses that others share. I use the product on a mt bike and it works perfect for me and my needs.

Related Edge 200 Forum Posts

Bought a used Edge 200 so no manual. My current display shows (from top down) Speed/Mileage/Elapsed Time and then at the very bottom either Average MPH or Altitude Gain/Loss....
I'd like to get the time to display at the bottom instead of the 2 current options.
Any ideas on how to change the ... Read More »

The edge 200 is getting handed down to my wife's road bike.
I need a new GPS for my mountain bike. I will not be buying Garmin due to stubbornness and hate.
I simply want a GPS that has best accuracy. All I need is distance, speed, average speed... All the rest is just a bonus. In reality the ... Read More »

This thing is damn near useless for mountain biking. I almost just threw it into the woods after my last ride comparing my old, crappy (but properly calibrated) cycle computer vs. this $125 piece of crap.
At least 15% short on a "relatively smooth/few switchbacks" trail and as high as 25% off ... Read More »

Looking at getting a GPS unit for ride tracking purposes (Strava) but have heard that people run into problems under tree cover with the Garmin Edge 200. Is the GPS signal stronger on the 500 and the 800 units or do they all have the same signal strength?Read More »

Having used an Edge 200 for a while, then received a 500 as a present, I thought I would post my comparison between the two, for anybody who is interested in these devices.
I got the Edge 200 first, to replace a traditional computer.
The Edge 200 is extremely easy to set up, just turn it on and tel ... Read More »